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Sonoran University of Health Sciences

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Coordinates: 33°24′30″N 111°53′41″W / 33.408384°N 111.894781°W / 33.408384; -111.894781
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Sonoran University of Health Sciences
TypePrivate naturopathic school
Established1993; 31 years ago (1993)
PresidentPaul Mittman
Students400
400
Location
Tempe
,
Arizona
,
United States

33°24′30″N 111°53′41″W / 33.408384°N 111.894781°W / 33.408384; -111.894781
Websitesonoran.edu

Sonoran University of Health Sciences, formerly Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, is a private alternative medicine school in Tempe, Arizona. Founded in 1993, Sonoran specializes in naturopathy, an amalgamation of health modalities that are considered pseudoscience, quackery, and fake by the scientific and medical communities.[1][2][3]

Sonoran University and similar naturopathic programs are not accredited as medical schools but as special programs that are overseen by a naturopathic council which is not required to be scientific.[4][5][6] Naturopathic programs have been accused by critics of misrepresenting their medical rigor and their ability to train primary care clinicians.[1][7][8]

A 2024 report found that students in Sonoran's medical doctorate program had the fourth highest debt-to-income ratio among graduate programs in the US, at 585%.[9][10]

History

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Originally incorporated as Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences (SCNM) in 1992, Sonoran inducted its inaugural class of naturopaths in 1993. When founder, Michael Cronin, first convened his co-founders Kyle Hawk Cronin, Hugh Hawk, Conrad Kail, Dana Keaton, and Deborah Mainville-Knight, the number of licensed naturopaths in Arizona numbered less than 40. [11]

In 2019, Sonoran University’s Academic Programs added the College of Nutrition and subsequently launched two online Master of Science programs: MS Clinical Nutrition and MS Nutrition Business Leadership.[12] Three years later, SCNM rebranded as Sonoran University of Health Sciences.[13]

In 2024, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that students who pursued doctorates of naturopathic medicine typically took on high levels of debt. For Sonoran, the median loan was $224,000 and the median earnings were $38,297, resulting in a debt to earnings ratio of 585%. This was the fourth highest ratio among graduate programs in the US, with two other naturopathic programs being in the first two positions.[9][10]

References

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  1. ^ a b Atwood, Kimball C. IV (2003). "Naturopathy: A critical appraisal". Medscape General Medicine. 5 (4): 39. PMID 14745386.
  2. ^ Barrett, Stephen (November 26, 2013). "A close look at naturopathy". QuackWatch. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  3. ^ Sisson, Paul (8 December 2012). "Med school embraces natural remedies". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  4. ^ Barrett, Stephen; Jarvis, William T. (1993). The Health Robbers: A Close Look at Quackery in America. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books. p. 236. ISBN 0-87975-855-4.
  5. ^ Massachusetts Medical Society (17 November 2015). "MMS Testimony in Opposition to H. 1992 and S. 1205, An Act to Create a Board of Registration in Naturopathy". www.massmed.org. Massachusetts Medical Society. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  6. ^ Hermes, Britt (29 August 2015). "ND Confession, Part II: The Accreditation of Naturopathic "Medical" Education". Science-Based Medicine. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  7. ^ Thielking, Megan (20 October 2016). "'Essentially witchcraft:' A former naturopath takes on the field". STAT. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  8. ^ LeMieux, Julianna (16 November 2016). "Why 'Naturopathic Medicine' is an oxymoron". American Council on Science and Health. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  9. ^ a b Camhi, Tiffany (30 August 2024). "Oregon alternative medicine students face a long road to loan forgiveness". OPB. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  10. ^ a b U.S. Department of Education. "Most Recent Data by Field of Study". U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024.
  11. ^ "History".
  12. ^ "SCNM Launches Executive Master of Science in Nutrition Business Leadership Program". AP NEWS. 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  13. ^ Sonoran University of Health Sciences (September 26, 2022). "Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine is Now Sonoran University of Health Sciences". PR Newswire. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
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